Saturday, November 01, 2014

This Is Kyle, My Rescued Feral Friend...

He's a feral cat that has been coming by the house for about a year and a half.

He was so scrawny, and malnourished when he started coming by. He'd cry out on the deck for some food and water, driving Murray (whom I miss dearly), absolutely crazy.

I'd put food and water out for him, and he'd run off the deck and only return when he knew I was indoors.

It took until June of this year, after Murray died, before he'd come up while I was in the doorway. Then, in August, after my Dad died, he finally started to come by with me outside on the deck. He'd wolf down the food, fill his tank with water, and then zip off quickly.

By the end of August, he was letting me pet him. I put Frontline bug drops on him to keep the vermin off of him. He seemed to like that.

September rolled around, and he was coming by to visit me on a nightly basis, and letting me scritch his ears, and groom him.

In the meantime, since Murray's passing from pancreatic failure, Mountain Girl had grown quite fond of Kyle, going out onto the deck at sunset to wait for him to drop by. She has never been the welcoming sort to strange cats, so this was quite the change for her. He'd come up on the deck, and she'd lay nearby, unflapped, and mellow.

The two get along very well.

The picture below, is from 06OCT2014. It was his first ever trip inside the house. You can see how small and malnourished he was just a month ago. I don't think he weighed over 6 pounds in this picture-- I could see his ribs and spine.

Pensive first time in the house

A month later, yesterday, I managed to get him into the carrier, and over to the Vet for tests, shots and an unexpected neutering. He weighs 10.6 pounds, which I am happy to say looks great on him. He had some intestinal worms, which the Doctor treated, no other issues, save for one BIG issue-- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. The poor fella had Kitty AIDS.

We think.

He's FIV+, but, it is entirely possible that Kyle had an owner early on who had him vaccinated for FIV. Once vaccinated, a cat will always show positive, but we have to roll with what we know, and assume he is infected.

When Dr. Reed told me Kyle was FIV+, I was devastated by the news. I so very much wanted him to have a forever home with me and Mountain Girl (who is 14 years-old, now, and very healthy).

I was terrified by the idea that Mountain Girl had spent time around him. Shared a water dish... was infected.

I was, until yesterday, mostly ignorant about the specifics of the disease.

It can only be transmitted by a bite. Not nose-touching, or sharing food/water dishes, or a shared litter box. As MG was at the Vet just a couple weeks ago, and FIV negative after months of being around Kyle, the Doctor convinced me that, since they don't have an interest in fighting, the likelihood of her getting infected is nil. They don't even hiss at each other. Kyle is a wonderfully mellow little dude.

Well, once Dr. Reed laid out the bad news, and the upsides of the bad news, I needed to make a big decision. Either have Kyle put down, or give the order for the neutering, and adopt him. I sat their with this HUGE ball of fear in my belly just screaming at me to be done with it and wash my hands of him.

But, I couldn't do it.

Nor could I just bring him back and let him continue on out in the wild until the sickness grew, and he died alone under a tree somewhere in the middle of winter.

Dr. Reed made me a deal-- If I neutered him, and let him stay with me and MG, the first sign that the two might start fighting, he'd take Kyle, and find a caretaker for him. Even exchange him for one of the several cats he has for adoption.

So, that's how Kyle has come to live with me and Mountain Girl. He'll be an indoor cat forever, now, as letting him outside would risk his and other cats' health. We've no idea how long he'll stay healthy-- could be a short time, or he could live a long time, and die of extreme old-age, which is my hope for him.

Mountain Girl seems very pleased to simply have him around. Her mood has greatly improved since Murray's death, and that, along with knowing that Kyle is finally safe, and here with me is a very good thing.

Monday, October 06, 2014

Nice To Be Correct Once In A While...

Sometimes, I like to go back and read what I wrote about a subject over the years to keep me honest, and fresh. Especially when a current event shouts loudly enough at me to get my notice.
Sometimes, I am truly and honestly stunned at how right I had it.

Amongst the issues being discussed in finalizing the repeal policy, is what happens when a legally married gay/lesbian joins the Military, and is stationed in a state that bans gay marriage, or doesn't recognize it. DoD will must needs recognize the marriage, and provide housing/BHA, TriCare, and Base privileges, etc., and this will, in the end, force the states to recognize gay military marriages (and divorces). They won't be able to recognize ONLY Military marriages-- equal protection-- and one by one, the bans will crumble in short order.
That's how it is going to end.

I had just come out of an all-day briefing at Navy Recruiting which featured video and live-stream comments from POTUS to SecDef on down to on-stage presentations from CNP, MCPON, and CNRC. The subject was the repeal of DADT, and exactly how the Policy was to be implemented. Much of the Training Brief regarded recognition of Gay Marriages, Base Privileges and Access, and Tri-Care (all equal, of course). But, it was the discussion about Housing that was the big eye-opener for me.

Let me explain: There are are plenty of places in this big Country, where Base Housing is either limited, or non-existent. Members of the Armed Forces receive a Basic Housing Allowance to cover the out-of-pocket expense for the Member, when he or she must rent in the Local Economy.

The Local Economy.

Federal Law is the Supreme Law of the Land in this great United States.

All Military Couples have Equal Protection Under The Law.

No landlord, in ANY state, renting to a Member, can discriminate, or refuse Housing. Which brings us back to Tri-Care, and DoD's policies of giving waivers to Members for treatment in the Civilian Sector. No Spouse can be turned away by Tri-Care Providers.

That post, above, was my jotting down my realizing that the Repeal of DADT and DOMA, made every single state ban on Gay Marriage immediately moot, and as we're seeing, Un-Constitutional.

Thinking back that it was Log Cabin Republicans (et al.) who won their (DADT Repeal) case before Robert's Supreme Court, I have to laugh out loud. Brilliantly well-played.

It doesn't matter what the resisting states do, or how loudly the Rightwing screams in rage-- it's done.

Equality wins.

It's the Supreme Law Of The Land.

Everything from here on is just Pro-Forma.

I don't see the reason for anyone to waste any more time, money, or resources trying to stop the true March Of Progress.